Only Human
by RukiaRae
Summary: Raven is hurt and must give her powers to Robin to fight off a demon that has broken the protective barriers around Earth..But she accidentally transfers all of her powers to him..On top of this, being free her emotions refuse to accept her powers back.. Will she ever get them back? And what are they going to do about the demon?THREE SHOT No pairings yet rated for safety


**Hi everyone! **

**So I went back to watch the beginning episodes of Bleach and, while doing so, was inspired to write this story. For those of you who watch the anime, you'll see many elements of Bleach in this (especially in the fight scene-I'm no good at those so it's practically lifted from Bleach), but hopefully well adapted to the Teen Titans.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or the Teen Titans**

**Only Human**

She gasped in pain, feeling the crunch in her shoulder from Cinderblock's devastating blow. His giant fist had collided with her petite frame and had followed the blow through until she hit the building behind her. Raven was glad she hadn't been flying, else she'd have to worry about floating safely to the ground.

However, she was still near the brink of passing out. She gripped her clearly broken shoulder and clenched her teeth in an effort to better deal with the pain. Nodding to his teammates and making sure they had everything under control, he went over to his fallen comrade to ensure she was okay. Her teammates were bringing the villain under control when they all heard a loud roar that shook through Jump City.

Raven's stomach dropped, she could sense its aura.

"What's wrong?" asked Robin, who evidently picked up on the worried emotion rolling off of her.

"It's a demon, a very powerful one. And I'm too injured to fight it," she managed to get out in between bouts of pain.

Giving her his trademark lopsided smile, he replied, "We'll handle it, don't worry."

Her eyes widened, "Robin, NO!"

Thankfully, it got his attention.

"Raven, we took down Trigon, the most powerful demon alive. We'll be fine, have some faith in us," he explained, still giving her the smile that usually set her mind at ease. The rest of the team seemed equally assured, ready to locate the beast.

However, today his determination was anything but soothing. In fact, it was likely to get them all killed.

"Robin, it's very powerful," she explained through gritted teeth, "and when you faced my father, you had my powers to protect you. Without them, one touch from the demon will corrupt you."

After a pause, she continued, "Luckily you guys have Star. Her powers are far range so she can help fight. Robin, you are the most controlled of us all so I'm going to give you some of my powers. You and Star can defeat the demon. Beastboy and Cyborg, stay away from it at all costs."

"Dude, no fair-" Beastboy began before being cut off sharply by Raven's reply.

"I don't have time to debate this. These are my powers and I know what I'm doing. Robin, come here. And remember, my powers are linked to emotions, you'll need to be careful."

Reacting to the commanding tone her voice took, he went over to her. Keeping the weight of her body under her good arm, she nearly passed out from moving her injured harm to Robin's cheek, letting it rest lightly like the ghost of a caress. Whispering her mantra, she could feel her powers draining out of her.

She knew something went wrong, not to mention she had a last warning for the Boy Wonder, but she had no time to articulate either before the world went black.

Little did she know, her friends could clearly guess that something had gone wrong with the process. As Raven's hand was transferring her powers, she began to lose her grey skin and purple hair and Robin became afflicted with her alabaster skin colour and his hair became long and white, much like Malchior's had been. The process had been painful for him-his attempts at not crying out in pain as he absorbed her powers did not go unnoticed by the rest of the team. They, wisely, decided not to comment. Once the process was complete, Robin was completely encased in Raven's dark magic; her powers acted as an armour of sorts.

Looking over at a clearly disgruntled Beastboy, Cyborg said, "C'mon BB. Let's get her to the medical ward."

He nodded, glad to do something useful. However, he was still unhappy that she trusted Robin with her powers over him. Did she even consider giving them to him at all? He could handle it. Okay, he sometimes got carried away during a video game or something but a destroyed game console would be to Raven's advantage. Besides, she was only giving a portion of her powers. He could control his emotions enough to handle a small portion of her powers. So why didn't she pick him?

Sighing, he helped Cy get her unconscious form into the back of the T-car before they sped off to the tower to heal their fallen friend. It wasn't until they left that Robin realised he had no clue how to use Raven's powers. He sighed, he would just have to stick to his hand-to-hand combat, it seemed.

* * *

Hooking her up to the heart monitor just in case, Cy examined the damage, cringing.

"How bad is it?" asked Beastboy, hoping it wasn't as bad as Cyborg's face suggested.

"Her shoulder blade is completely shattered. She'll be out of commission for awhile, especially since she doesn't have her powers."

They both gazed at the normal looking girl on the bed. Her long, black hair was streaked with bits of violet, her skin glowed a healthy peach colour. Her chakra was the only thing that remained that alluded to her identity as Raven of the Teen Titans.

Just then, Starfire and Robin rushed into the medical ward. Star looked worse for wear. Starfire, as she had only been permitted to attack from long-distances, just had her hair tangled and looked exhausted. Robin, apart from his newly paled skin and hair, looked like nothing had happened. The shield of Raven's powers had protected him from any damage. And, magically, the armour had receded when the battle was over, much to Robin's delight.

That only left the puzzle of how to get Raven her powers back so she could heal herself.

"Dude, she looks so different," commented Beast Boy, still unaccustomed to Raven's new appearance.

"Yes, she does not look like our friend Raven," commented Star sadly.

Suddenly, there was a groan from the bed. A slight rustle of the sheets confirmed to the team that Raven was finally awake. Rushing to her bedside, they waited for her to speak.

Looking at Robin and Starfire, and hesitating while she took in their dreadful appearances, she finally asked, "Did you manage to defeat it?"

Robin shrugged, "I don't know. It just..._disappeared _after awhile."

She nodded, taking in the new information.

"That means you did not defeat it and it has gone back where it has come from to heal. It will be back," she informed, "They feed on the strong living."

"What do you mean? And where did it come from?" asked Robin, now in his usual detective mode of assembling all the facts.

Raven sighed, "It likely came from my home planet. Azerath was among an elite group of planets charged with protecting the weak planets from demons and unwanted spirits. Because our society produced many maegi and warlocks specifically trained to deal with the demon threat, we were selected among 6 other planets for a sacred duty-to protect weak planets who did not have the same chances. Earth fell under this category.

Sure, there were special Earthlings, like the Justice League, but they were few and far between and most were not equipped to deal with demons. Demons, especially powerful ones, do not control the corruption in them. They use it as a weapon and it can easily contaminate humans, who are too weak mentally to deal with it without going insane. Earth was under the jurisdiction of Azerath. Years ago, Trigon destroyed these 7 planets to allow his demons free roam. Much of the barriers in place around Earth has held, due to the skill of my people. However, they must be crumbling, allowing powerful demons through, like the one you faced today.

When I get my powers back, perhaps I can revive some of the barriers, which should serve. Most demons are not interested in Earthlings. They gain power only from consuming the powerful. It was likely this demon sensed either me or Starfire; both of us would serve to strengthen it. You see, when a demon consumes you, it inherits your abilities and your strength. A demon will not bother to hunt weak prey, it does nothing for them and wastes their time. Some demons _will _seek out human vessels to possess them, but, once again, most humans can't handle it. And this one, it sounds like, wasn't after possession if it stayed in full sight to attack you guys."

"So it will be back to consume us then?" squeaked Star.

"Unless I manage to get my powers back and reconstruct the barrier before it drops back in," added Raven, "But seeing as that will take time, especially the barrier reconstruction, my guess is it will be healed well before then."

Star eeped, grabbing Robin's cape as though it were a baby blanket that she could draw comfort from.

Turning to Robin, her voice took on a grave tone as she gave him the warning she hadn't before the battle began, "Robin. I didn't get the chance to tell you this, but you need to know."

He nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"The transfer went wrong, for some reason. You've absorbed most of my powers, far more than I intended to give you. Did you guys ever wonder why my demonic half came out when I lost control? It had everything to do with self-preservation.

Losing control of my powers would kill my human half if my stronger demonic side did not step in. You see, my powers come from a demonic source and only a demonic source can handle them in full without being overwhelmed. I am sometimes overwhelmed by them due to only being a half-demon. You don't even have that luxury, Robin."

"So what are you saying?" asked Robin, admirably stoic.

"I'm saying that if you show too much emotion, you risk unleashing the full force of my powers. You, unlike me, do not have a demonic being who will save you. If you lose control, you will die, Robin. Your mind will be torn apart and it will be… unpleasant."

She then looked out the window, hoping to hide the pained expression that came across her face from her friends. The shocked gasps from her friends didn't help ease the guilt she had felt.

"Dude, why don't you take them back?" asked Beastboy.

"I'm too weak to do it at the moment and I may not have enough magic to do it at all. We may have to call in a specialist," she confided, the slumping of her shoulders the only indication of the defeat she felt.

"Friend, who knows more than you about such things?" asked Star, her voice laced with concern.

"They don't have to know anything, they just need magical prowess and to know what they're doing, which automatically excludes Robin even though he has my powers. But, for someone who is in tune with their abilities, I can guide them. Any number of people will do. Zatanna from the Justice League, though she didn't seem to keen on helping me a few years ago," began Raven, rattling off their options, "Jinx could do it too, I'll bet. Pity she rejoined the Hive. Mumbo might, though I don't know the extent of his powers, especially outside his stupid hat. And, well...there's also Malchior."

She shuddered at the name, and heard Robin's growl, however, she knew logically that he was their best choice. After all, they needed someone on short notice. The longer Robin had her powers, the more at risk he was.

"Robin," she warned, noticing his growl at Malchior's name, "Keep it together."

He nodded in response, stowing his emotions away.

"And, anyway, I'm too weak to do anything now so we can discuss who to consult later," she added, noting Robin's stiff nod from her periphery.

"Um, so why's he all grey and weird looking?" asked Beast Boy.

She cringed, deciding to overlook the second half of the question, "Humans were meant to feel. When you lock your emotions away, it kills something inside you. It just reflects Robin's need to rule over and manage his emotions, a fact that is not compatible with humans."

"Oh," squeaked Beast Boy, unsure of how else to respond.

"Star?"

"Yes Friend Raven?" she asked, trying not to let her apprehension show.

"Since I need rest-my body isn't the same without my powers-I need you to do both me and Robin a favour," she explained, already feeling fatigue set into her weakened body. _How does Robin do it? I feel so tired and so weak _she mused silently, wishing everything would return to normal. She missed her powers; sure they caused her many problems-being emotionally stunted came to the forefront of her mind-but they still made her feel safe and strong. Like she could be self-sufficient. Now she felt like a little girl-weak and risking her friend's lives because of it.

"Anything friends," Star offered, her voice perking up at the thought of being able to help.

"I need you to teach Robin how to meditate properly. Now," she all but ordered, "If he feels any emotions rise up, he'll need to know meditation so it doesn't tear his mind apart."

More gasps of shock came from her friends. She knew her description was graphic, but it was the only way to stress the severity of the job she had entrusted to Starfire. It was better to scare them now and have them tow the line of caution than to have Robin's brain pulled apart by her powers.

She gave a resolute nod before lightly taking the Boy Wonder's arm and leading him out of the room, "Let us begin your training, friend."

After they left, Cy and Beast Boy turned to their injured friend.

"You okay?" Cyborg asked, concerned at how Raven was holding up with the loss of her powers and endangering her friend at the same time.

"I've been better," she responded dryly.

"If you need anything, we're always here," offered her robotic friend, his voice reflecting the worry he felt for her.

"Yeah, dude, we even installed this thing so you can call us whenever!" added Beastboy, pointing to a red string next to her cot.

"What do you mean 'we', Grass Stain?" called Cyborg, "I installed it. This whole tower is my baby!"

"It was my idea!" yelled Beastboy.

"Like hell it was!"

"Was to! I totally said she needs a way to call us whenever!"

"That doesn't make it your idea! I designed it! I thought of what would best work! You made an obvious comment that anyone who knows about Raven's powers would've known," he huffed.

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

"I challenge you to prove your worth!" cried Beastboy, waggling his eyebrows mischievously, "Mega Monkey 6, you up for it?"

"Just don't cry when I kick your sorry butt!" taunted Cyborg, his anger morphing into amusement.

"I'm so going to win!"

"Quit. It," growled Raven, a small part of her revelling in the fact that she had no demonic anger to worry about.

"Sorry, we'll be downstairs if you need us," said Cy, quickly exiting the room with Beastboy so they could have their epic battle.

Revelling in the silence, she laid back and promptly fell back asleep, satisfied that she had taken care of everything important for the time being.

* * *

She awoke the next day at 11:30, according to the clock on the nightstand. Groaning, she slid herself off the cot and made her way to her room to change out of uniform. She no longer felt like a titan without her powers, without the very reason she was admitted to the team. She sighed, quickly showering before getting dressed. She decided to wear a pair of black shorts and a charcoal tank top. Content, she walked to the common room for the first time in a while. Another first, Beastboy and Cyborg seemed to have resolved their breakfast dispute quietly and were now watching television instead of playing videogames, which usually got them shouting again. _Probably for Robin's benefit _she thought. Sure enough, Robin had taken Raven's usual place in front of the window to meditate. Not wanting to disturb his concentration, she made her way to the kitchen to heat up water for her tea. It was an odd feeling for her not to be levitating, a feeling she missed.

While waiting for her water, she decided to focus on levitating to see how high she could get. Closing her eyes, she imagined herself three feet in the air, however, upon opening her eyes, she was barely an inch off the ground. And just getting that high up took much of her effort, she could feel the beads of sweat gathering from the effort of her little display. Sighing sadly, she returned herself to the ground. At least, by that night, she could probably be well enough to take her powers back. She would need to meditate before so the shock wouldn't make her pass out but at least she would have them back soon.

Sipping her tea, she was grateful when Robin walked into the kitchen.

"I need to teach you the basics of using my powers in case the city falls under attack today," she informed, "I'll be able to take them back tonight, if all goes according to plan."

He nodded, "Ready to begin when you are."

"Let's go then."

They made their way to the gym, neither saying a word during the walk. Raven, for once, resented her abilities to detect emotions and hoped that Robin would not be able to feel the waves of guilt rolling off of her. The situation was not meant to be this complicated. She had only meant to give him some of her powers, as she did at the end of the world, not nearly all of them. Not to mention, she had no idea _why _it didn't work right.

Pushing her thoughts aside, she entered the immaculate gym (yes, Robin was incredibly organised despite the chaos of the newspaper clippings posted on the walls of his room). Standing so she faced Robin, she began giving instruction.

"You've done well at tempering your emotions which means utilising my powers shouldn't be too difficult," she began, "Basically, you need to imagine what you would like to happen-very clearly-and then chant my mantra, focussing all of your energies into making your vision a reality. So, when I levitate, I imagine yself rising into the air. _Slowly_. That's an important detail. You can't just picture what you want done, but how you want it done. Adverbs will become your best friend."

He nodded stoically, "May I try to fly?"

"I don't fly, since it's a product of my concentration instead of an inherent power. What I do is considered levitation," she corrected amiably, "but sure, give it a try."

Closing his eyes, he took a moment to outline the terms for flying in his head before chanting her famous mantra "Azerath. Metrion. Zinthos."

He began to rise into the air slowly and stopped about a foot under the ceiling.

"Well done," she commented, genuinely impressed, "You did much better than Star did when she tried."

He gave a small smile, "I can imagine."

"That's not the full extent of my powers, but you'll be fine in most of our battles knowing how to do this," she added, "But do be aware that you need a clear head at all times before using my powers. If you're motivated by anger or any emotion, you risk misapplying my powers. Instead of catching a teammate or a civilian, for instance, you could instead crush them. There is a fine line with them. If you're unsure, don't use them."

A few moments later, he descended, landing on his feet with ease.

"Okay," he responded, letting her know that he had, in fact, heard her.

"Also, if we do get attacked by Slade today I want you're promise that you'll stay here in the tower. You can't control your emotions around him and I don't want you or anyone else to get hurt because of that. So, promise me," she stated, intensity in her voice.

After a long pause, Robin answered with a strained voice, "Alright."

"Red-X too. He knows how to push your buttons," she amended.

With a loud sigh, he eventually agreed with Red-X as well.

"Good. It is only a day," she said in an attempt to assure the Boy Wonder.

An uncomfortable silence dropped between them for a few moments until Robin decided to break the silence.

"Any reason you're out of uniform?" he asked.

She mentally cursed herself, of course he would notice and, as the master detective he was, would _know _it wasn't a coincidence, that it was a conscious choice on her part.

Turning away, she mumbled, "I don't feel like a titan. I just feel normal, like I don't belong anymore."

She cringed after she finished speaking, after all, Robin never had any powers to begin with. Powers were not the defining thing of being part of the team and, yet, she managed to make it sound like it was.

After a pregnant pause, she hastily added, "I just don't feel like I can contribute to the team. My martial arts skills, while okay, aren't as good as yours. And the one thing I did have, my powers, aren't mine. Not to mention I messed up the transfer-the one thing I could control. And, without my powers, my uniform feels more like a ridiculous wannabe costume than mine."

Hugging her briefly, Robin replied, "I know how you feel. I think we all feel like that sometimes, but your contribution to the team is more than just your abilities, it's also your personality. You may not see it, being emotionally cautious, but the team depends on you. Everyone goes to you with their problems not only because of your emotional clarity, but also because they trust you. They trust that you've considered all other options and taken all factors into account. That you're giving them the truth. And that you won't tell anyone they don't feel comfortable knowing. In some ways, you're the glue that keeps us together socially. I may train us to be in fighting shape, but you're the one who makes sure we're in emotional shape."

"But I'm not sure I can do that without my empathic abilities," she mumbled.

"I don't believe that. Sure your abilities helped, but you're gifted with reading people and you've been taught extensive strategy. Considering all the options is something you'll always do. Honesty is a quality, and therefore, even without your powers you'll still give your honest opinion and you'll be honest about who you will and won't tell. And the team still trusts you. Losing your powers changes none of this," he reasoned, "I think this is a good lesson for you. You're powers don't make you who you are. You shouldn't feel lost or a loss of identity without them."

"What about you?" she asked, "Can you honestly tell me that you wouldn't have an identity crisis if you were just Richard all of a sudden?"

After a moment she quickly said, "Nevermind, don't answer that if it'll be emotional."

Mentally, she cursed herself for dredging up memories from his past, a past that was incredibly traumatic.

He sighed, running a hand through his perfectly spiked hair, "Of course I would. But not where my friends are concerned. I wouldn't know how to operate in the real world but I would have faith that my friends would be there for me no matter what."

Tilting her head to the side, she asked, "How are you able to control your emotions so well, Robin?"

After all, she had brought up a potentially distressing topic and he'd handled it with ease.

He shrugged, "Batman. He had me do all these tests so I would be able to pass a polygraph. They involved controlling and regulating your heart rate. I guess this is just an extension of that training."

She nodded, mumbling, "You're quite good at this. Though I'm sorry you have to take on this burden."

He walked over to her and grasped her shoulders, causing her to look up at him, and offered her a small, reassuring smile, "Don't worry. It's only a day longer. What's the worst that can happen?"

* * *

Deciding to take advantage of her powerless day, Raven made her way to a cafe in search for some good coffee and some new company. The day was overcast, with a slight rain drizzling down, and not many civilians were out on the streets. Robin had insisted that she do some enchanting before leaving-as an extra weapon-just in case she came across any villains. She enchanted a deck of cards with a basic fire spell, hoping that her powers were strong enough to give her enchantments extra power. She also took some of Robin's various bomb-discs before setting out. Each were in the pockets of her shiny blue raincoat. She walked along, enjoying the solitude of the streets and the newfound ability to smile when the screams of the few civilians on the street pulled her from her content walk. In her periphery, she heard a girl squeal at a cop 'call the Titans!' and it reminded her of her powerless status. Still, she felt obligated to do something, especially since the Titans weren't there.

Rushing to the scene, she stopped at what awaited her there.

What stood before her was a menacing monster. It's face was covered by a white skeleton, only allowing it's blood red eyes to look through the eye-holes. It had enormous pointed teeth. It must have been at least 500 feet tall (Raven was no good at distance estimates, so she couldn't be sure that she had it right). Still, it dwarfed her when it was on two legs. Dropping down to four to speak to her, it was still massive, it's face was as big as her body, but it didn't seem as big as it had before. It's body was a black mass of fur and it stunk of rotting flesh.

Focussing its gaze on her, it said, "Ah. The soul I've been searching for, you're the halfling."

Raven turned and began to sprint to the edge of the city, looking over her back to ensure it was following. Losing her speed, Raven chanced on the Jump City park and was thankful for the weather-no one else was in the park. She turned around to address the demon, safe in the knowledge that she had done her duty and kept it away from civilians.

"So you have come here for nourishment," she commented, hoping to stall the inevitable battle between them.

* * *

_Meanwhile_

"A monster with a white skull?" asked Robin, "Okay, we're on it."

As soon as he was done speaking, the screen cut to black.

"It looks like Raven was right, the demon is back. Star, let's go. Cyborg and Beastboy, stay here in case of an emergency," he commanded, turning to leave.

"Hold up, I have a sonic cannon, why can't I go," Cyborg practically whined. He wanted a look at this monster.

"Until you build a cyber shield, you can't come," informed Robin, "Starfire can encase herself in her powers to protect herself. I can do the same with Raven's powers. If you can find a way to do the same, you can come along, but until then I'm not going to risk it. Besides, if it manages to corrupt your mechanic parts, we won't know how to fix it."

Cyborg issued a string of curses under his breath as he watched his teammates rush out to battle. Dejectedly, he went to his room to work on a protective shield.

* * *

"My, my, but you smell delicious," laughed the creature before her.

Running at the demon, Raven kicked the creature in the nose to give her leverage. With a foothold, she pushed herself in the air and twisted so she was facing the demon. Throwing one of her playing cards at the demon, she grinned in satisfaction at the small explosive sound it made. Landing behind the demon softly the way Robin had taught her, she felt Bravery swelling with pride. Unfortunately, when the smoke cleared, the demon looked unharmed. In fact, as it turned toward her, she could see that it was amused.

"That attack had no bite to it," the creature complained, clucking it's tongue, "I was hoping for better."

Growling, she stood back up, and this time, grabbing one of Robin's discs, she threw it at the creature. However, at the same time, two of its little minions appeared. They were small, only about a foot tall, and were a deep green. They had no eyes or ears, only razor sharp teeth. Each one opened its mouth and spat. She tried to jump out of the way, but still saw a few black spheres, covered in the slimy saliva of the small creatures, attach themselves to her.

Annoyed that Robin's disc seemed to have no effect, she took a moment to take care of herself. Trying to pull the black orbs off, she found they were stuck quite well.

"They won't come off," warned the demon, "But will detonate when I give the signal."

It began to laugh at the look of horror on her face. She frantically tried to tug them off, but to no avail. The creature then began to wail in a high-pitched voice, causing the three orbs to detonate. Raven felt the small explosions on her head, her leg, and her torso. The impact knocked her off her feet and to the ground.

The demon laughed further, "What's the matter? Not going to use your demonic powers on me? How noble. And here I thought you'd put up a good fight."

Raven glared at it, allowing it to talk further. Without her powers, she had no way to determine what type of demon it was. Demons were closely tied to a certain crime or sin. She was a Pride demon, the most powerful in the hierarchy. She, however, had no way to determine where in the demonic hierarchy this one was.

Thankfully, it prattled on, "You see, I like the chase."

_Definitely not a sloth demon, then _she mused sadly, sloth demons were relatively easy to deal with. They often tried to trap their enemies into a dream and keep their victim's minds shrouded in a fog of confusion so they wouldn't be able to recall they were in a dream. The way to defeat it was to break free of the dream. Sadly, this didn't help much since, the way it was fighting, already made it an unlikely candidate for a sloth demon.

"I like seeing the terror in my victim's eyes as they futilely try to run. So why don't we play a game of chase, shall we?"

Raven snorted, "Why would I consent to this?"

"Because, as soon as you stop running, I'll find a civilian and eat them. Their deaths will be your fault," it said.

Not bothering to dignify it with a response, Raven turned and fled, grateful she wasn't wearing her cape, which would only get in the way. As she was running, she noticed the two minions running and keeping pace with her. Paying close attention to them, she saw their heads split a second before releasing their demonic bombs. During that brief interval, Raven leapt up and managed to avoid their sprays. It wasn't until she jumped onto the stone wall of the park in an attempt to exit the area that one of them managed to spray her with several of them.

* * *

He knew that Starfire was flying as fast as she could, however, he was anxious at how many civilians could be hurt during the time it was taking them to arrive. Part of him wanted to try teleportation, but he remembered Raven's words from earlier. She had told him that she hadn't taught him everything and, when in doubt, not to try anything as it could be dangerous. Deciding to keep his promise, he looked up at Star, willing her to fly faster.

They didn't see anything until they reached the park, when the battle scene was right below them. They were both surprised to see Raven jump onto the wall, followed by a small monster, probably a foot tall, spraying her with it's spit. _So much for big and terrifying _thought Robin, wondering how the populace could've gotten the description so wrong. Was it possible there was another demon out there?

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud shriek and, both he and Starfire gasped at the explosions that rocked Raven's body. Star quickly landed the both of them and they ran over to their friend, who was bleeding. Leaning on the stone wall, Raven tried to regain her breath. A few seconds later, the demon caught her.

"Red becomes you, halfling," it chuckled darkly, "Let's see some more of it!"

It then moved, allowing one of it's indistinguishable minions spit at her. Using all of her willpower, Raven pushed herself off the wall, avoiding the attack. Hoping he would forget to eat a civilian, she turned and ran.

Another attack of the bombs sent her sprawling. She was never so happy to hear Star's cry, "FRIEND RAVEN!" in her life.

The demon was momentarily thrown off guard by the appearance of friends. Both Robin and Starfire took the opportunity to run to their fallen friend and help her up. Robin was surprised to see Raven's powers shield him as they had in the previous battle. He, after all, had not called on them to.

"Well, now, how interesting," drawled the demon in its deep, cold voice, "The halfling has friends. I'm going to enjoy destroying the lot of you!"

All three of them felt chills at the demon's threat, it was clear that he meant it.

The demon then added as it advanced on them, narrowing it's glowing red eyes, "And I've only just begun."

It's loud cackles of laughter accompanied its first strike.

* * *

**So I know I do many Rae/Rob stories, but I'm not sure I should pair them together after all in this story. I can't see a natural progression for it happening in only one more chapter...****I'm also thinking of a sequel (yes, already) that involves Red/Rae, so I'm not sure I want to add Robin to the mix (at least now)...****Thoughts?**

**Please review, it makes my day!**

**~RukiaRae**


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